Adjustable vacuum breaker for flush valves



Sept. 5, 1939. V. E. SCHMIEDEKNECHT ADJUSTABLE VACUUM BREAKER FOR FLUSH VALVES Filed 001:. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. U6 Sckmwde wahj TTORNEYS.

Sept. 5, 1939. v. E. SCH MIEDEKNECHT ADJUSTABLE VACUUM BREAKER FOR FLUSH VALVES Filed Oct. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m s m s Q \wf M w A T TORNEYS.

in the lower stories.

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE VACUUM BREAKER FOR FLUSH VALVES 11 Claims.

This invention relates to plumbing appliances and has special reference to a vacuum breaker for use in connection with the flush valves of toilet bowls and the like.

Flush valves for this purpose are so arranged that when opened they remain open for some time and then close automatically. It sometimes happens that the supply line to such a valve is opened, as by a faucet, bibb or the like, at a point below the level of the opened valve. If thislower point is at a sufficiently low level below the flush valve the pressure of the supply at the flush valve is overcome and syphoning action takes place which, in the usual arrangements now common, causes some of the water in the bowl to be drawn into the supply line. This contaminates the supply water and is apt to produce serious illness if such water be used.

One important object of the present invention, is to provide means between the flush valve and the toilet whereby, when conditions arise tending to produce a vacuumv and start syphoning of the bowl contents, the vacuum will be immediately broken and none of the bowl contents can be drawn into the supply line.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel vacuum breaker adapted to be inserted between a flush valve and its associated bowl and which will prevent any syphoning of the bowl contents back through the flush valve.

It is well known that the pressure head of Water in a supply line varies with the height of such line. For instance, in a building of several stories, the water pressure of the supply line in the upper stories is less than the water pressure Consequently, the flow of water through the lower flush valves will be greater than that through the uppervalves when any of such valves are opened. It is therefore necessary that a vacuum breaker used with such "a flush valve should be capable of accommodating such diiferent water pressures.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of vacuum breaker arranged for adjustment to suit the water pressure at the particular flush valve with which it is associated.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of vacuum breaker for the purpose described and having means whereby the eifective cross-sectional area of the water passages may be regulated to suit the conditions of use.

With the above and other objects in View as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of conof reference indicate like parts in the several views, and:

Figure l is a side elevation of a toilet bowl and flush valve with the vacuum breaker installed.

Figure 2 is a large scale vertical diameter section through the vacuum breaker with a certain auxiliary water passage closed.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the auxiliary water passage open.

Figure 4. is a section on Figure 3.

. Figure 5 is a plan view of the vacuum on a somewhat smaller scale.

Figure 6 is a detail section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and at right angles to Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a detail section through one of the air ports. used herein, the plane of the section being that shown by the line l'-! of Figure 4.

In the embodiment of the invention here disclosed there is provided a shell or hollow body I!) of generally cylindrical form having a reduced and threaded lower end ll provided with a central bore or opening l2 and a pipe seat groove l 3. Adjacent the lower end the shell is provided with a polygonal band be gripped for rotation by a suitable wrench. At its upper end this shell is provided with an exterior flange l5 for purposes presently to be described. An internal flange l6 extends around the shell and extending upwardly from the flange I6 is a pair of diametrically disposed ribs E! which are formed integrally with the shell. Just above the flange I6 and between the ribs ll the shell is provided with a pair of air ports or vents l8 (see Figs. 4 and 7).

On the upper end of the shell is a tubular cap l9 which rests on the flange !5. This caphas a reduced portion 20 which projects down into the shell. The lower end of this tubular cap is internally threaded as at 2i and above this threaded portion is provided on its upper face with a rabbet 22 on which seats a packing ring 23. The upper end of the cap is is internally threaded as at 24 and is of considerably greater internal diameter than the lower threaded portion. On

breaker M to enable-the shell to p the line 4-4 of the outer part of the cap E9 is a small flange 25 rotation of the shell has an internal flange 21 which extends beneath the flange I which thus fits between the cap IS and flange 21 so that the shell may be rotated with respect to the cap.

Screwed in the threaded portion 2| of the cap is the upper end of a tubular valve member 28 the bore of which is of inverted frusto-conical form at its upper end 29. Below this the bore consists of upper and lower cylindrical portions 39 between which is an enlarged chamber 3|. Lugs 32 are provided on this valve member below the cap l9 and from each lug projects a pair of arms 33 so arranged that the ribs H are received between the arms of respective pairs. Bythis means rotation of the shell I0 efiects rotation of the valve member 28 and, since the valve member is screwed into the capl9, such rotation effects movement of the valve member longitudinally of its axis.

Centrally of the valve member there is provided a water or jet tube having an upper portion 34 and a lower portion 35. soldered to the portion 34 is a cap or head 36 which is provided with a central port 31 and other ports 31 spaced around the central port. From this head extends a flange 38 which rests on the ring 23 so that the head is held concentrically spaced from the flange 22. Between the flange and member 34 are holes forming water ports 39. Below the head the portion 34 is of inverted frusto-conical form both externally and internally to conform to the part 29 of the bore of the valve member. On the lower end of the portion 34 is a double frusto-conical flange 40 which, in association with the chamber 3| and upper bore 30, forms a fixed valve member, the lugs 38 being soldered or otherwise held immovably with respect to the cap.

With this construction it will be plain that, by H) and with it the valve member 28, the valve member may be moved down to close the valve as in Fig. 2 and up to open the valve as in Fig. 3.

The vacuum breaker is screwed to the lower end of a standard type of flushing valve 4! and the lower end of the vacuum breaker is connected by a nipple 42 to the bowl 43, the breaker 28 is raised to open as in Fig. 3 and in this case water will flow through the ports 39 as well as through the ports 31 and 31 and will pass down and through the opening l2. If the water flow, due to the pressure, is too great thewater may not pass freely through the opening l2 but may rise in the shell and flow through the ports l8 to flood theroom where the device is located. This is obviated by moving the valve member 28 to partially or fully close the valve. With the valve closed as in Fig. 2 water cannot flow through the ports 39 but only through the ports 31 and 3lso that it will pass freely through the opening 12 and cannot fill the shell and overflow. In case x of the production of a vacuum in the valve air flows up between the skirt and shell, through the ports 18 down within the shell and up through the members 35 and 34 thus breaking the vacuum.

There has thus been provided a simple and efi-lcient device of the kind described and for the described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell, a tubular member surrounding the water conduit and spaced between said conduit and shell to form a passage within the tubular member for auxiliary Water and a passage exterior of the tubular member for air, said tubular member being movable longitudinally of the axis with respect to said conduit, cooperating valve'elements within the tubular member and on the conduit, and means to move the tubular member and bring the valve elements into positions for opening and closing the auxiliary water passage. i

2. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell and extending at its lower end below said ports, a tubular member surrounding the'water conduit and spaced between said conduit and" shell to form a passage within the tubular member for auxiliary water and a passage exterior of the tubular member for air,

said tubular member being movable longitudinally of its axis with respect to said conduit, cooperating valve elements within the tubular member and on the conduit, and means to move the tubular member and bring the valve elements into positions for opening and closing the auxiliary water passage.

3. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell, a skirt depending from the upper part of the shell in spaced relation thereto and extending below said ports, a tubular member surrounding the water conduit and spaced between said conduit and shell to form a passage within the tubular member for auxiliary water and a passage exterior of the tubular member for air, said tubular member being movable longitudinally of its axis with respect to said conduit, cooperating valve elements within said tubular member and on the conduit, and means to move the tubular member and bring the valve elements into positions for opening and closing the auxiliary water passage.

4. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell and extending at its lower end below said ports, a skirt depending from the upper part of the shell in spaced relation thereto and extending below said ports, a tubular member surrounding the water conduit and spaced between said conduit and shell to form a passage within the tubular membeffor auxiliary water and a passage exterior of the tubular member for air, said tubular member being movable longitudinally of its axis with respect to said conduit, cooperating valve elements within the tubular member and on the conduit,

and means to move the tubular member and bring the valve elements into positions for opening and closing the auxiliary water passage.

5. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell, a cap holding said water conduit and having the shell revolubly mounted thereon, a tubular member surrounding the conduit in spaced relation to the shell and conduit to form an auxiliary water passage between the member and conduit and an air passage between the member and shell, means connecting the shell and member to rotate the latter as the former is rotated and arranged to permit longitudinal movement of the member in the shell, and cooperating valve elements within said member and on the conduit to effect opening and closing of the auxiliary water passage.

6. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a fiush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell and extending at its lower end below said ports, a cap holding said water conduit and having the shell revolubly mounted thereon, a tubular member surrounding the conduit in spaced relation to the shell and conduit to form an auxiliary water passage between the member and conduit and an air passage between the member and shell, means connecting the shell and member to rotate the latter as the former is rotated and arranged to permit longitudinal movement of the member in the shell, and cooperating valve elements within said member and on the conduit to effect opening and closing of the auxiliary water passage.

7. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a flush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell, a cap holding said water conduit and having the shell revolubly mounted thereon, a tubular member surrounding the conduit in spaced relation to the shell and conduit to form an auxiliary water passage between the member and conduit and an air passage between the member and shell, means connecting the shell and member to rotate the latter as the former is rotated and arranged to permit longitudinal movement of the member in the shell, cooperating valve elements within said member and on the conduit to effect opening and closing of the auxiliary water passage, and a skirt depending from the cap in spaced relation around the shell and extending below said ports.

8. A vacuum breaker including a shell having lateral ports and provided with means at its upper end for connection to a fiush valve and means at its lower end for connection to a toilet bowl, a water conduit held in concentric spaced relation within said shell and extending at its lower end below said ports, a cap holding said water conduit and having the shell revolubly mounted thereon, a tubular member surrounding the conduit in spaced relation to the shell and conduit to form an auxiliary water passage between the member and conduit and an air passage between the member and shell, means connecting the shell and member to rotate the latter as the former is rotated and arranged to permit longitudinal movement of the member in the shell, cooperating valve elements within said member and on the conduit to effect opening and closing of the auxiliary water passage, and a skirt depending from the cap in spaced relation around the shell and extending below said ports.

9. A vacuum breaker adapted to be disposed in the flush water supply line of a closet or like plumbing fixture, and comprising pipe means adapted for disposition between the fixture and its flush valve in said line, and nozzle means disposed within said pipe means to provide a main passage for flushing water and an auxiliary passage in parallel relation to said main passage and distributed thereabout, said pipe means and said nozzle means having portions disposed in spaced relation and confining said auxiliary passage therebetween, and means providing for adjustment of one of said confining portions relative to the other to control flow through said auxiliary passage, said pipe means having vent means for said auxiliary passage.

10. A vacuum breaker adapted to be disposed in the flush water supply line of a closet or like plumbing fixture, and comprising pipe means adapted for disposition between the fixture and 'its flush valve in said line and having a lower portion and an upper portion, and nozzle means disposed within said pipe means to provide a main passage for flushing water and an auxiliary passage in parallel relation to said main passage and distributed thereabout, said pipe means and said nozzle means having portions disposed in spaced relation and confining said auxiliary passage therebetween, and means providing a threaded relation between said upper and lower portion of the pipe means whereby one of said confining portions may have adjustment relative to the other to control flow through said auxiliary passage, said pipe means having vent means for said auxiliary passage.

11. A vacuum breaker adapted to be disposed in the flush water supply line of a closet or like plumbing fixture, and comprising pipe means adapted for disposition between the fixture and its fiush valve in said line, nozzle means disposed in said pipe means to provide a main passage for flushing water, and an auxiliary passage in parallel relation to said main passage, means movably mounted for variably restricting flow of flushing water in said auxiliary passage, said pipe means having an opening venting said auxiliary passage.

VICTOR E. SCHM'IEDEKNECHT. 

